Pregathered form feeder



June 29, 1954 Filed June 21, 1952 R. K. LUKEY PREGATHERED FORM FEEDER 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 29, 1954 R. K. LuKEY PREGATHERED FORM FEEDER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2l. 1952 IN V EN TOR.

June 29, 1954 R K LUKEY 2,682,400

PREGATHERED FORM FEEDER Filed June 21, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1N V EN TOR.

June 29, 1954 R. K. LUKEY 2,682,400

PREGATHERED FORM FEEDER Filed June 2l, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

Robe# llzze Y @Maip/w Patented June 29, 1954 PREGATHERED FORM FEEDER Robert K. Lukey, Chicago, Ill., assignor to W. F.

Hall Printing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 21, 1952, Serial No. 294,947

9 Claims. l

This invention relates to gathering machines adapted for use in the printing and binding industry to gather signatures located in different piles along the machine, the signatures being gathered in succession and in proper order to form books, magazines, etc.

In gathering signatures to form a book having a relatively large number of pages, it is customary to employ the use of several gathering machines, one of which pregathers a portion or form of the total signatures, which forms are stapled together and placed in a hopper of another gathering machine to be gathered with other signatures to complete the signature gathering operation. As a pre-gathered form may embody thirty or more signatures, it is difficult to successively withdraw the forms from the bottom of a hopper by conventional equipment designed to withdraw a single signature from the bottom of a hopper. The present invention contemplates the provision of a pre-gathered form feeder adapted to be incorporated into a conventional gathering machine to successively withdraw forms from the bottom of a hopper.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a pre-gathered form feeder which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction, and adapted to be installed without difliculty upon a conventional gathering machine] This invention further contemplates the provision of a pre-gathered form feeder embodying a feeder arm movable toward a. hopper to engage and draw the stapled back of a form therein downwardly into position for engagement between a pair of gripper jaws provided on the end of a gripper arm. After the form has been engaged by the jaws, the feeder arm is moved to an inoperative position to permit the gripper arm to withdraw and transfer the form from the hopper to an endless conveyor employed to support the signatures and pre-gathered forms.

This invention embodies other novel features, details of construction and arrangement of parts which are hereinafter set forth in the specification and claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary front elevational view illustrating a signature gathering machine provided with a pre-gathered form feeder embodying features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional View taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken along gathered form feeder arm disposed to engage a form in a hopper.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View corresponding to Fig. 4, illustrating the manner in which the feeder arm draws the stapled back of a form downwardly into position for engagement between the gripper jaws on a gripper arm.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view showing the pre-gathered form feeder structure illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of the pre-gathered form feeder.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of this invention, the pre-gathered form feeder is shown as applied to a conventional gathering machine comprising a drive shaft 2 journaled at spaced intervals along a frame 3 and acting through any suitable power transmission means to drive an endless conveyor 4. The conveyor extends along the front of the machine and is provided at equally spaced intervals with push pins 6 to engage and advance the signatures to a binding machine (not shown).

. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the inner flight of the conveyor travels along a trough 1 provided with a front wall 8 which serves as a stop for signatures 9 delivered to the trough.

The signatures 9 are arranged in stacks at spaced intervals along the back of the machine to be gathered successively, each stack of signatures beingdisposed within a suitable hopper I I embodying a bottom plate I2 and a front plate I3 having their adjacent edges spaced apart to dene an outlet I 4 for the withdrawal of the bottom signatures from their respective stacks.

The signatures 9 are withdrawn from their respective stacks in timed relation with the travel of the conveyor 4 to deposit the signatures at spaced intervals along the conveyor between the push pins 6. As illustrated in Fig. 3, a suction cup I6 is associated with each hopper I I of a conventional gathering machine to withdraw the forward end of one signature at a time from the bottom of its related stack, the cups being mounted upon a sucker shaft Il connected at its ends with members I8 hingedly connected at I9 with a stationary part of the machine. The suction cups are so disposed that when the structure just described is rocked on the hinges I9 in `a counterclockwise direction (see Fig. 3) they pass upwardly through their respective hopper outlets I4 to engage the forward edge portions of the bottom signatures in the stacks and, when rocked in the opposite direction, act to draw the forward edge portions of their related signatures down through the outlets, in a manner well known in this art.

The shaft I1 and members I8 are actuated by a cam 2| keyed to the drive shaft 2 to engage a roller 22 on a lever 23 keyed to a shaft 24 which has a lever 26 keyed thereon to pivotally engage a link 21 connected to the members I8 at 25.

A conventional gripper feed mechanism is provided adjacent each hopper I I to engage and deliver signatures 9 into the trough 1 for engagement by the push pins 6, each gripper mechanism comprising a gripper arm 35 keyed on a shaft 35 journaled on the frame of the machine, and each arm being provided with a 'fixed jaw 31 and a movable jaw 38 journaled on a pin 4G. A rocker mechanism employed to swing the several arms 35 is shown as comprising a pair of levers 1I and 42 keyed to adjacent ends of shaft sections 36, the outer ends of the levers being connected by a pin A3. A ptman 44 is pivotally connected at its upper end to the pin IIS and is journalled at its lower end on a crank 45 formed on the drive shaft 9.

A connecting link d6 is pivotally connected at one of its ends to the movable jaw 38 and at its other end to one end of a rocker arm Il@ pivotally mounted at 49 on a bracket 5G carried by the gripper arm 35. A connecting link 52 is pivotally connected at 5I to the rocker arm 48 and is pivotally connected at 53 to an arm 5t! keyed to a shaft 55 journaled in Xed brackets 56-56- A sleeve 51 is secured to the shaft 55 and provided with an arm 58 pivotally connected at 59 to the upper end of a link 6I), the lower end of the link being pivotally connected at 6I to the upper end of a link 62 and also to an arm 53 keyed to a shaft S5 journalled in brackets Sii- 66.

The lower end of the link 62 is pivotally connected at 61 to an arm 68 integral with a sleeve 59 journaled on the shaft 24. The sleeve (i9 is formed with an arm 10 carrying a roller 'Il engaging a cam 12 keyed to the shaft 2. The cams 2i and 12 are shaped and positioned to cause the movable jaw 38 to clamp a signature against the fixed jaw 31 when the gripping arm swings to its inner position adjacent the hopper II, and to open the jaws to discharge the signature into the trough 1 when the arm is moved to its outer position.

While conventional gathering machines of the type thus described are suitable for use in gathering thin individual signatures, they are not designed or adapted for use in gathering relatively thick pre-gathered forms F comprising (for example) 25 or 30 signatures stapled together and arranged in stacked relation in a hopper II.

To accommodate a conventional gathering machine for use in gathering pre-gathered forms F, a form feeder indicated generally at 15 is associated with the hopper I I containing the forms F in place of the conventional suction cup I6. The form feeder is shown as comprising spaced brackets 16--16 secured to the sucker shaft I1 to support arms 11-11, Each arm 11 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 18 upon its respective bracket and is normally biased against its stop plate 19 by means of a torsion spring 8I.

j Each stop plate is adjustably mounted on its respective bracket by means of cap screws 82 passing through an elongated slot in the plate for threaded engagement in the bracket, to adjust the normal position of the arm 11 with respect to the bracket.

The upper end of each arm 11 is formed with a diagonal face 83 and provided with a pointed pin 84 projecting downwardly below said face to pierce the back of a form F in the hopper II. Adjustably mounted on each arm 11 by means of a screw 86 is provided a seat member B1 to engage the bottom side of a form F, the seat member being adjustably positioned longitudinally of its arm toward and away from the pin 84 to coact with the latter in engaging the bottom form F in the stack.

A shaft 88 is journaled in bearings l5-S5 secured on the frame 3 and has a pair of cam members 9I-9I secured thereon. A shoulder screw 30 is threaded into each member 9! to serve as a journal for a roller 92 provided to engage the lower end of its respective arm 11 during rotational movement of the shaft 88. The shaft 88 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as shown' in Fig. 4, by means of a chain drive leading from the drive shaft 2 through an endless chain 93 to a countershaft 94 and thence through an endless chain 96 to the shaft 88.

In the operation of the form feeder in withdrawing pre-gathered forms F from the bottom of a stack of forms in a hopper II, the sucker shaft I1 and the brackets 15--16 secured thereon move back and forth along an arcuate path about the axis I9 in a common line of travel with adjacent suction cups I6 associated with adjacent hoppers II.

When the shaft I1 and brackets 1li-16 are swung about the axis I9 in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 4, the cam faces 33-83 on the arms 11 engage the back of the lowermost form F in the stack and the seat members 81-81 engage the bottom side of said form. When the shaft I1 and brackets 16-18 are swung in a clockwise direction, from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig. 5, the pointed pins 84-84 on related arms 11-11 penetrate the back of the lowermost pregathered form F to securely engage the arms to the form during subsequent downward movement of the arms relative to the hopper. When the shaft I1 reaches the end of its clockwise movement, shown in Fig. 5, the portion of the form F engaged by the arms 11-11 is bent downwardly into position to be engaged between jaws 31 and 38 on the gripper arm 35 associated with the hopper I I containing the forms F.

During clamping engagement of a form F between the jaws 31 and 38, the arms 11-11 are pivoted clockwise, from their position illustrated in full lines to the position illustrated in dotted outline in Fig. 5, by the cam members 9I-9I to dispose the arms out of the line of travel of the engaged form during transfer of the latter from the hopper to the trough 1 by the gripper arm '35. After withdrawal of a form F from the hopper, the rollers 92-92 move in a counterclockwise direction under and past their related arms 11-11 to permit the latter to be pivoted into engagement with their related stop plates 19--19 by their springs 8I-8I to complete the operating cycle of the form feeder.

While this invention has been shown in but one form, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a feed mechanism for drawing a pregathered form downwardly from the bottom of a hopper into position to be engaged between gripper jaws on a gripper arm of a signature gathering machine, a sucker shaft movable upwardly toward and downwardly from the hopper, spaced brackets secured on the sucker shaft, a feeder arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends on each bracket, means including a pointed pin and a seat member on the upper end of each feeder arm to engage the back of a form in said hopper when the sucker shaftlis moved upwardly and to draw the form downwardly from the hopper when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction to dispose the form in position for engagement by the gripper jaws, and actuating means to engage the lower ends of said feeder arms to pivot the upper ends of the arms away from a form after the form has been engaged by the gripper jaws.

2. In a feed mechanism for drawing a pregathered form downwardly from the bottom of l a hopper into position to be engaged between gripper jaws on a gripper arm of a signature gathering machine, a sucker shaft movable upwardly toward and downwardly from the hopper, spaced brackets secured on the sucker shaft, a feeder arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends on each bracket, means including a pointed pin and a seat member on the upper end of each feeder arm to engage the back of a form in said hopper when the sucker shaft is moved upwardly and to draw the form downwardly from the hopper when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction to dispose the form in position for engagement by the gripper jaws, actuating means to engage the lower ends of said feeder arms to pivot the upper ends of the arms away from a form after the form has been engaged by the gripper jaws, stop plates adjustably positioned on said brackets, and springs normally urging the upper ends of said feeder arms toward said stop plates.

3. In a feed mechanism for drawing a pregathered form downwardly from the bottom of a hopper into position to be engaged between gripper jaws on a gripper arm of a signature gathering machine, a sucker shaft movable upwardly toward and downwardly from the hopper, spaced brackets secured on the sucker shaft, a feeder arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends on each bracket, means including a pointed pin and a seat member on the upper end of each feeder arm to engage the back of a form in said hopper when the sucker shaft is moved upwardly and to draw the form downwardly from the hopper when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction to dispose the form in position for engagement by the gripper jaws, actuating means to engage the lower ends of said feeder arms to pivot the upper ends of the arms away from a form after the form has been engaged by the gripper jaws, and means to adjust the position of said seat members relative to the pivot point of their respective feeder arms.

4. In a feed mechanism for drawing a pregathered form downwardly from the bottom of a hopper into position to be engaged between gripper jaws on a gripper arm of a signature gathering machine, a sucker shaft movable upwardly toward and downwardly from the hopper, spaced brackets secured on the sucker shaft, a feeder arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends oneach bracket, means including a pointed pin and a seat member on the upper end of each feeder arm to engage the back of a form in said hopper when the sucker shaft is moved upwardly and to form has been engaged by the gripper jaws, and

a common drive means for said sucker shaft and said actuating means.

5. In a feed mechanism for drawing a pregatheredform downwardly from the bottom of a hopper into position to be engaged between gripper jaws on a gr-ipper arm of a signature gathering machine, a sucker shaft movable upwardly toward and downwardly fromf' the hopper, spaced brackets secured on the sucker shaft,.a feeder arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends on each bracket, means including a pointed pin and a seat member on the upper end of each feeder arm to engage the back of a form in said hopper when the sucker shaft is moved upwardly and to draw the form downwardly from the hopper when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction to dispose the form in position for engagement by the gripper jaws, actuating means to engage the lower ends of said feeder arms to pivot the upper ends of the arms away from a form after the form has been engaged by the gripper jaws, said actuating means comprising an actuating shaft rotatable beneath said arms, and. cam members on said actuating shaft to engage and pivot said feeder arms,

6. In a feed mechanism for drawing a pregathered form downwardly from the bottom of a hopper into position to be engaged between gripper jaws on a gripper arm of a signature gathering machine, a sucker shaft movable upwardly toward and downwardly from the hopper, feeder arm supporting means secured on the sucker shaft, a feeder arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends on said supporting means, means including a pointed pin and a seat member on the upper end of said feeder arm to engage the back of a form in said hopper when the sucker shaft is moved upwardly and to draw the form downwardly from the hopper when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction to dispose the form in position for engagement by the gripper jaws, and actuating means to engage the lower end of said feeder arm to pivot the upper end of the arm away from a form after the form has been engaged by the gripper jaws.

'7. In a feed mechanism for drawing a pregathered form downwardly from the bottom of a` hopper into position to be engaged between gripper jaws on a gripper arm of a signature gathering machine, a sucker shaft movable upwardly toward and downwardly from the hopper, feeder `arm supporting means secured on the sucker shaft, a feeder arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends on said supporting means, means including a pointed pin and a seat member on the upper end of said feeder arm to engage the back of a form in said hopper when the sucker shaft is moved upwardly and to draw the form downwardly from the hopper when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction to dispose the form in position for engagement by the gripper jaws, actuating means to engage the lower end of said feeder arm to pivot the upper end of the arm away from a form after the form has been engaged by the gripper jaws, stop means provided on said feeder arm supporting means to be engaged by the upper end of the feeder arm, and means yieldably resisting movement of the upper end of said feeder arm away from said stop means.

8. In a feed mechanism for drawing a pregathered form downwardly from the bottom of a hopper into position to be engaged between gripper jaws on a gripper arm of a signature gathering machine, a sucker shaft movable upwardly toward and downwardly from the hopper, feeder arm supporting means secured on the sucker shaft, a feeder arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends on said supporting means, means including a pointed pin and a seat member on the upper end of said feeder arm to engage the back of a form in said hopper when the sucker shaft is moved upwardly and to draw the form downwardly from the hopper when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction to dispose the form in position for engagement by the gripper jaws, actuating means to engage the lower end of said feeder arm to pivot the upper end of the arm away from a form after the form has been engaged by the gripper jaws, stop means provided on said feeder arm supporting means to be engaged by the upper end of the feeder arm, means yieldably resisting movement of the upper end of said feeder arm away from said stop means, and a common drive means for said sucker shaft and said actuating means.

9. In a feed mechanism for drawing a pren gathered form downwardly from the bottom of a hopper into position to be engaged between gripper jaws on a gripper arm of a signature gathering machine, a sucker shaft movable upwardly toward and downwardly from the hopper, feeder arm supporting means secured on the sucker shaft, a feeder arm pivotally connected intermediate its ends on said supporting means, means including a pointed pin and a seat member on the upper end of said feeder arm to engage the back of a form in said hopper when the sucker shaft is moved upwardly and to draw the form downwardly from the hopper when said shaft is moved in the opposite direction to dispose the form in position for engagement by the gripper jaws, actuating means to engage the lower end of said feederarm to pivot the upper end of the arm away from a form after the form has been engaged by the gripper jaws, stop means provided on said feeder arm supporting means to be engaged by the upper end of the feeder arm, means yieldably resisting movement of the upper end of said feeder arm away from said stop means, a common drive means for said sucker shaft and said actuating means, said actuating means comprising a rotatable actuating shaft, and cam means secured on said actuating shaft to engage and pivot the upper end of said feeder arm away f' from said stop means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS Elliott Jan. 3, 1939 

